In the book, Tredwell recounts her personal experience in the ashram, where she admits she was complicit in covering up all sorts of ashram secrets, in a misguided attempt to protect the guru’s misdeeds from public view (believing, as all guru cultists do, that the guru is God in human form and therefore exempt from human standards of right and wrong).

Tredwell’s riveting book recounts stories of donations intended for charity being converted into gold jewelry and hidden under the garments of Amma’s sanyasis (monks) as they passed through customs – then the gold being passed to Amma’s family to make them fabulously rich. Tredwell tells of being beaten, clawed, and bitten by Amma, who would succumb to fits of rage over small mistakes made by her attendants. Tredwell speaks of her discovery that, while claiming to be a lifelong celibate, Amma secretly had ongoing sexual affairs with several of her closest swamis (monks who have taken lifelong vows of celibacy).

Tredwell was extensively quoted in an August 2012 Rolling Stone article on Amma regarding some of these allegations. Rolling Stone was able to corroborate the claim of physical abuse by Amma through the testimony of another one of Amma’s female attendants, who would not reveal her name except to the magazine.

Holy Hell can be purchased through Amazon via this link. What follows below is the original article I wrote about Amma for this website, in 2008.

This is Chapter 9 in an online book: ‘Blowing the Whistle on Enlightenment: Confessions of a New Age Heretic,’ by Bronte Baxter.

What do stuffed dolls have to do with enlightenment? Lots, if you’re into the cult of Amma, known also as Ammachi, Mata Amritanandamayi, and “the hugging saint.”

Amma’s devotees talk to dolls made in her image that are sold on Amma retreats. They tell the doll their problems, seek its comfort, and listen in their minds for its advice. Amma calls the devotees her children, and clucks syllables like baby talk into their ear in her trademark ritual of lining people up, watching them kneel before her, then embracing them.

She tells them she is their mother and that she hears their prayers. She says she’d no more charge them for her darshan (i.e., being in her presence) than a mother would charge an infant for breast milk. Yet insiders have estimated Amma rakes in upwards of 3 million dollars in a 7-week tour, through donations and sales of items like her toothbrush, fragments of a garment she has sat on, Amma dolls, Amma posters, and books by devotees extolling her divinity.

Devotees believe Amma is a living incarnation of the being they consider the supreme God: Kali in Hindu religion, who is depicted in Indian art wearing a necklace of bloody human skulls and a girdle of severed arms but who somehow translates to devotees as a loving maternal figure. Amma events consist of childlike lectures on Hindu doctrines, Amma blessing water which devotees then drink, hymn singing, worship ceremonies, and the hugs. At some events, Amma wears a one-foot-high sparkling crown.

Amma marries people on stage, gives babies their first taste of solid food, tells couples to break up or to stay together, and ordains some of the faithful to abandon their family and live as monks in her ashram. Amma teaches that love is all we need, and it is her divine love that will save us.

In Seattle a couple of months ago, she predicted nuclear war and that no child younger than 5 will live to adulthood after the year 2012. After spreading fear and despair through such prophecies, she announced that only meditation and self-effacing acts of charity can possibly mitigate the sentence for humanity. “Meditation” means mantra/obeisance meditation to the divine mother. Self-effacing charity means donations to her organization and service to her cause.

At public sessions, devotees chant hymns to Amma that grow in volume and frenetic intensity, gesticulating in unison with their arms in the shape of an arc, from their midsection up and out towards Amma, who sits on a dais in front of them. The words of the chant are “Aum Parashaktyai Namah.” That translates to “I bow down/ pay homage to the Supreme Mother of the Universe.” The arm gesture is body language for surrendering one’s soul to Kali in the form Amma, her living embodiment.

I am one of the moderators of the Ex-Amma Forum, a place where people who’ve left the Amma cult come together to help each other heal from their ordeal. The group is open to ex-followers, questioning devotees, concerned family and friends of devotees, and people seeking more information. I became involved with the forum when I watched a close friend of mine grow farther and farther away from the person he once was, the deeper he sank into Amma’s hypnotic embrace. On the forum, I’ve read hundreds of first-person accounts of what people experience with Amma, the side of her no one wants to talk about.

I’ve seen an email from her former joint-secretary alleging she cooks the books, that the money she gathers for charity doesn’t go to the charities she claims. I’ve read accounts by her former monks of the unexplained wealth of Amma’s family, how her charity hospitals won’t take the very poor because the poor don’t have money enough for treatment. I’ve read about“suicides”and unexplained deaths of ashram devotees. So many dead bodies have appeared in the waters outside the ashram that The Indian Express, New Delhi’s daily newspaper, printed an account of local citizens demanding a police investigation into the matter.

I’ve read of alleged organ selling and newspaper reports of beatings. I saw a video of Amma performing a puja (worship ceremony) to a portrait of Sai Baba, the guru who gives penis massages to his favorite boy disciples. I read a letter from a former Amma monk alleging he was told by an Indian holy man not to share what he knows about Amma if he values his safety.

Amma’s website sells pujas performed on behalf of the paying devotee for prices ranging from $30 to $250. We read there an explanation of what happens in Kali puja, which is performed “on Amma’s birthstar”:

“The puja is offered to a lamp representing the Goddess… The puja starts with a worship of the Guru… The central aspect of the puja is the symbolic offering of the five elements of creation to God. Our body is composed from these five elements… The puja symbolizes the surrender of the devotee to God… Each element is represented by a material symbol, such as flowers, or fire… These are offered at the foot of the lighted lamp. The desire of the devotee to offer his or her surrender is effected by these symbolic offerings. During the entire puja the temple resonates with the continuous chanting of the holy names of Kali.” (emphasis mine)

Amma’s PR is impeccable. She presents as “the hugging saint,” a portrait of sweetness and universal love, and the media promotes her unquestioningly as such. There has never been an investigation into her movement, the dead bodies, where the money goes, or what is really happening in her hospitals and orphanages in India.

In July, 2005, the United Nations awarded Amma with “Special U.N. Consultative Status,” according to her website. She is one of 25 core leaders in the United Nations Parliament of World Religions. Her website contains over a dozen pages extolling the humanitarian work of the U.N. One page compares the U.N.’s “Millenium Goals” with Amma’s goals, which are word-for-word identical. (Click here to view both documents.)

The ashram is among 30 Indian NGO’s to receive formal U.N. affiliation, according to Amma’s website. “This will provide opportunities for joint collaboration” between the U.N. and her organization, it goes on to state. Amma’s website openly extols the U.N. for its advances toward global government:

“The United Nations has been in the forefront of tackling problems as they take on an international dimension, providing the legal framework for regulating the use of the oceans, protecting the environment, regulating migrant labor, curbing drug trafficking and combating terrorism, to mention a few. This work continues today, with the United Nations providing input into the trend towards a greater centrality of international law ingoverning interaction across a wide spectrum of issues.” (emphasis mine)

Pulling all this together, what are we seeing here? Amma is a globalist, working intimately with the U.N. to bring about its agenda. That agenda is world regulation and control – a wolf that hides in the sheep’s clothing of humanitarian ideals. The U.N.’s aim is a global Orweillian state held in place by a world bank, a centrally controlled media, a world “peace-keeping unit” (world army), technological surveillance, and control of the world’s water, food, and other life-essential resources.

As one of the 25 core leaders in the U.N.’s religion parliament, Amma supports and promotes these “Big Brother” goals. For anyone wondering if the efforts by the global elite to create a New World Order have a spiritual component, Amma provides ample evidence.

My earlier articles in the “Blowing the Whistle on Enlightenment” series explain the real meaning of the kind of surrender that Amma and other Indian gurus promote among their followers. It is surrender of the personal self to the gods, whom Amma calls “the Lord.” Amma’s hugs, her relics, her blessed water and food, are ways of infusing her energy signature into the minds and bodies of those who visit her, be they devotees or unsuspecting guests. Not only her energy signature but, I submit, the energy signature of the astral entities who work through her, who call themselves gods, and who feed on the psyches of mankind.

Amma’s energy transfer helps devotees entrain with her vibration and meld their minds and souls with “the godhead.” In other words, it helps them become assimilated, or possessed by the same “cosmic” forces that possess and work through Amma. Gurus call such a change in consciousness “attaining enlightenment” or “liberation.” It’s a state of “ego death,” where one no longer functions as an independent individual but as a receptacle of “the Supreme Consciousness.” Translation: as a tentacle of the astral entities who live off human worship and suffering.

What makes Amma both so successful and so sinister is the loving image she hides behind. The media uses it to promote her far and wide. If it seems remarkable that no investigative reporting has been done, that no one from the mainstream media has questioned Amma’s PR, the mystery evaporates when we recall who the mainstream media is run by these days.

Large corporations have bought and own our press and television, and dictate the “news” that journalists are permitted to report. Behind those corporations, as behind our governments, lurk the privileged aristocracy, who control both news and world events by means of puppets who do their bidding. Our world leaders, the mainstream media, and “the saint” Amma work in tandem. That’s why the media and world leaders sing her praises.

Why do I single out Amma among the dozens of gurus I could write about? Because she is so popular, and so unquestioned. Even that guru-busting website, Guruphiliac, seems to miss the shadiness of Amma, voting her the “least bad” of the gurus. But Amma is one of the worst. Powerful and successful, she ropes in new recruits by the thousands on her yearly worldwide tours. Amma’s movement claims that the “saint” has hugged over 26-million people – people who often return as devotees, worshipping her godhood and donating to her coffers.

Amma’s brand of religion is a return to the infantile. She makes babies of grown men and women, giving them dolls to babble to and telling them she’s their mother. While speaking fine words about “the God within each of us,” her actions teach something different. Allowing people to pray to you, kneel to you, and worship you as God Incarnate is not the behavior of someone who wants people to recognize themselves as magnificent, powerful expressions of God.

Amma’s disciples get their power from hugs, dolls, mantra obeisance, and the group euphoria of retreats, not from the core of their own being. They’re conditioned to believe that their inner self is less than the glorious entity before them. They’re told, in fact, that their unique, individual personhood is nothing but a self-serving “ego” – flawed, proud, and devious, something to be destroyed before they can be happy. Every time they bow down to Amma and “the gods” who work through her, Amma’s devotees shut the door more tightly on the divinity within themselves.

It’s a tragedy, but we can stop it: by spreading this information far and wide. When enough people know the other side of Amma, her crown and power will topple. Just as the global government she promotes will crash down about itself when the public sees through the fairy tales.

“The emperor has no clothes.” Pass it on. Once the message ripples through the crowd, the game will be up, and the illusion will be over.

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108 Comments

Doven said,

Loving movements can tap into emotional addictions. Love is not what most humans think it is and anything that creates separation or hierarchy is NOT love but anti love with the design to harness it to co-create a reality that may not be in your best interests. ;-)

Stewart said,

I have been to the hugging saint and got my hugs. But what I really got was an awareness by observing both myself and the crowd. Human slaves collecting cash and zapping credit cards. I can honestly say I felt nothing. No warmth, no love, just that I had hugged the woman who has hugged 30 million people.

Now Bronte, seems that once two people join forces and start something, something else is born. A control organization will eventually grow out of the ‘successful’ ones. This will always be manipulated to serve the lords and gods.

Hi Stewart, I, too, hugged Amma (at her place in San Ramon donated by a wealthy techie). They forget to add that when you get a hug by Amma, you are not allowed to hug back. You are not allowed to touch Amma. You are told to keep your arms by your side. (but in defense of Amma, this might be because of the two murder attempts on her while hugging people).While in line, you also are given a tissue to wipe any make up off your face so it doesn’t get on Amma. You have to admit with so much hugging, her clothes could get very stained.

At any rate, I went for an Amma hugging, because my Brazilian friend was in a panic to go and insisted I get hugged too. She was adamant that it would change my life. I did not think so, but took my friend anyway out of affection for her.

We waited for a few hours in the “church” sitting “native American” style in a huge crowd. Then we got pushed in line. And I was next. Amma was in front of me, and her assistants pushed the upper part of my kneeling self toward her and she enveloped me in her arms and pushed my face into her ample bosom and torso. It was so fast, I did not get a big enough breath before going “under”. She whispered in my ear and I felt panic because I couldn’t get any air.

I knew that any moment I was going to have to break Amma’s “no touch” rule and push away from her to save myself from asphyxiating. But, like a miracle and an answer to a prayer, she suddenly let go and I felt as if I were a person trapped under the ocean who had suddenly been released and popped up like a cork out of the water into the blessed life giving air. I did indeed feel relief after hugging Amma; and I was grateful to breathe again.

When we first arrived; before we ever sat down to wait and subsequently get in line, I walked around and stared at all the white people chanting and walking around, hands joined in front of them in prayer mode, wearing gauzy, cottony Indian garb and appearing so serious and oh so pious and oh so hypnotized; like Stepford Wives go Mumbai.

And then I went in the “gift” shop, filled with all sorts of Amma and Indian oriented stuff, noticing in particular a black and white, artfully framed, photo of Amma’s feet selling for $50. I wondered who in their right mind would pay $50 for a framed photo of feet. (Key words: “right mind”)

It was then that I was stopped by a clerk who believed that I had been shoplifting. I laughed and told him that “there was nothing in this place that I would ever want”.

When it was time to leave, we got in line for a ride back to our car, parked in a parking lot far away on their extensive compound. We were picked up by two women and sat in the back of their four door sedan. As we were getting close to my car, my friend reached forward and patted the driver and thanked her for giving us a ride. She told the driver that she was a nice woman.

My friend then patted the other woman in the front. This woman then turned around and angrily snapped at my friend and told her not to touch her. At this point I wanted to just slap that woman. How dare she be mean like that to my friend?! But my Brazilian friend, who is herself the very embodiment of love and compassion said to the woman, “You nice woomun too, but you got problems!”

So my friend, in essence, summed up the whole experience.

People need to be more self aware and claim their own power and stop seeking from others what they can give to themselves. And until they do, they will be followers and slaves of others, and beholden to cults of personality, whether that personality be Amma or Hitler etc.

And as Hitler, once held up as great wise father and savior of the German people once said, “How fortunate for those in power that the people do not think.”

Sunil said,

I’m from India and from the same state of kerala that Amma belongs too…you have hit the nail again by the brilliant article Bronte.

No body dares question her method in India, its so subtle, barely noticeable, only a trained person could see whats goes behind the facade of Amma.

You know how India is, every one is a follower of some cult or religion…99% of people here have lost there soul to some 1000 gods and goddess we have here. I don’t think there is any hope for people in India. Unless, people like you come forward and awaken us.

Most of the people here are soulless and i could see through them, they are taken over by higher evil beings that they call devas, devi, gods and goddess.

There are yogis, gurus and Ammas, in every nook and corner of India, ready to take the soul of anyone, who crosses there path. Please tell all your friends, to never come to India, its start with beautiful tourism and exotic cultural experience…then through yoga and then they take your soul away.

george said,

Yes Sunil,
Spiritual knowledge is actually very easy to attain. But the secret is in the living.. the initiating of service to humanity – that is connection to the soul. The thing is this, Guru’s tell people what they want to hear, NOT what they need to hear – In other-words it is comfort that is actually sought not enlightenment. That is why so many spiritual people appear so checked out.

Anyone can sit in a tent all day and meditate and appear enlightened – not engaging with life. Facing responsibility of the self and the choices that design our life is an immense challenge and too much for many.

Deepak said,

I disagree with you Sunil in your statement that if others come to India, they fall in trap. You can not blame everyone for the wrong deeds of some people. Such people could be in any country! Please read original books on Yoga (Patanjali). There are dependable organizations conducting tourism programs and arrange cultural programs for tourists. A few people take undue advantage of such opportunities is a sad thing but you cannot conclusively say that ONLY this happens in India. Please observe the good things happening as well.

There lived spiritual leaders who lead by example throughout their life without ever raising a single question of dishonesty or selfishness or greed. Jesus, Lord Krishna, Ibrahim Nabi are few to mention among many. For me true love is selfless love.

brontebaxter said,

Thank you for publishing this piece. I am completely in agreement with your rejection of the claims of this charlatan. I am on the verge of exposing a couple more right now but have to be careful cuz I live in the UK which has terrible libel laws that protect the guilty. But I do feel I can mention Amma by name, because her scam is (should be) well known by now. Anyway, thought you might enjoy my irreverant essay on frauds: Bullshit!http://66witches.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/bullshit/

There’s a blog been created to counteract what Bronte has exposed called “Cult Of The Huggling Saint Exposed: A Closer Look At The Critics Of Amma – Ammachi – Mata Amritanandamayi Maa.”

This person or persons is rather p*ssed that Bronte has had the guts to tell it how it really is. I’ve read their little defense of such gurus and it holds no water. All they’ve really done is seek to ridicule those who see that there is a dark force leading world leaders and that ‘reptilians’ or ‘gods’ do indeed exists. Funny, how such people who blab on and on about seeking ‘enlightenment’ have to turn to ridicule to defend themselves.
These people believe in hugging dolls yet can’t get their head around the fact that dark multidimensional beings may indeed be controlling the game here?
Then they feel the need to ridicule Bronte for having a brain, for having integrity to see what’s in plain sight. And then feeling the need to ridicule David Icke.
Ha. I suggest they do some real research before feeling the need to ridicule David Icke and such people who’ve had the guts and bravery to expose how sick this world is. At least they don’t have their heads up their asses whilst the world goes to hell in a hand basket.
But ohhhh why listen to these ‘negative’, ‘fear-based’ people they say? Doesn’t do anything for ‘raising the vibration’ you say? Lol, all you people are programmed to spew such silly catch phrases such as ‘fear-based’, negativity, polarities, which are usually dripping with contempt and resentment by you folks who have allowed yourself to be part of the great muppet show whenever you want to marginalize or downplay any valid information about what’s happening here.
Additionally, I don’t find people such as David Icke or Bronte Baxter ‘negative’ at all. If anything they’re giving people real hope for our future. That we don’t need to bow down to anything. That we have the power to change the programming of this superholographic reality. That’s our destiny. If you’d bother to read and listen to what David Icke has to say you’ll find that he is nothing but positive and optimistic about our future. So is Bronte. But you didn’t do any work in bothering to find out.
I’d rather acknowledge when something is wrong in order that we can change it. But these people with their new age ultra positivist outlook have decided it’s easier and much less work not to look and not to confront what is obvious. But no worries, keep your head up your asses. When you do finally decide to wake up and smell the snakes you better hope that you have the freedom to move from A to B.
If you people would bother to do any real research, then ask yourself whyyyy so many people, from all around the world have seen these beings. How do you explain away as absurd the endless themes of `Serpent` and `Dragon` Gods in the ancient texts from all corners of our
planet? Or are you gonna say that these people were indeed primitive and knew no better? Well, this is from the same generation that erected the pyramids (or had help), which cannot be reconstructed today!
At very least Bronte Baxter has created a blog whereby others can reply and share their thoughts and feelings, you haven’t. There’s no reply program on your blog. Why? Because you don’t wanna hear it do ya? Your childish diatribe and ridicule against these people who speak out against the sickness of the world shows that you and your ability to think for yourself has in effect been NEUTRALIZED and all you have in your defense is mere personal attacks and this does nothing to credit yourselves or the hugging of dolls.

Bronte, well done. You’ve had the guts to do the right thing and expose what unfortunately so many people will laugh at. Leave them laugh. They’re in for a hell of a shock.

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

All those that seek to ridicule what’s being exposed here do so at a knee-jerk reaction because you don’t want to face what inside you know is true. That something is very wrong. The fear doesn’t come from people like Bronte Baxter or David Icke, it comes from the thing inside you that doesn’t want it’s belief system challenged. Well give yourself a damn challenge for once!

Bronte did, David did, I did. It’s not easy. Just like a person who is ridding their system of dangerous drugs, you’ll have a few dark nights of the soul. But the clarity that comes after is well worth it. You’ll be able to see things in a new light. You’ll feel much more powerful and much more confident in your ability to make real change. So don’t be scared. Do it!

Bronte, you did a great job explaining what Amma is all about, but I would like to add my own realization. I too was drawn to her a few years back and upon my first meeting, felt nothing from her hug. I returned for Devi Bhava, out of the advice of one of her devotees and did the works-holy water, food, chant and hug. I was feeling great, but again didn’t feel anything from the hug, but was feeling good from something else–hmmm. I had mystical experiences from her and thought that she was the real deal. The mystical experience wasn’t anything I had conjured up myself, because I already had a guru- who is not in the physical form-and I wasn’t looking to worship or follow Amma, because I do not worship my own guru, but the spirit of God within and without. But, AMMA appeared to me in a vision (as you stated imprinting her vibrations while chanting in your ear, holy water, food ect.) a few times and the following year I returned to see her one last time in Devi Bhava. I was shocked that after receiving a hug, one of her workers ran after me and tried to give me a mantra initiation. I was shocked and declined it, to the surprise and apology of her worker. She should’ve known that I had a guru and was making rapid progress with him. The attempt to recruit me when I didn’t sign up for a mantra was a little alarming, but, I let it go. But over time, it was revealed to me, what and who AMMA is.

Although, I will agree with almost all your observations, I would like to add a little something. I do not think that she is your typical fake/charlatan that can be found in India and across the globe. She is a trickster entity that has its place in creation and evolution. Most people who follow her are those who are trapped in the clouds and not grounded in reality. Most of her followers are those who want to worship and want their sins/karma to be resolved primarily through an entity being as such she represents. They want the process of evolution and life to be all so motherly and sweet. They want the process of enlightenment to be all so motherly and sweet. They do not want to face their own life/self of hard work and self-realization, but want a guru or person to do most of the work for them. So, I can see how the Creator created the role for her to trick those who are delusional. And from what I hear it seems that once she gets you in, she shows her true self, which is reality. If you look at the documentary ‘Darshan: The Embrace,’ you won’t see a charlatan playing nice for the cameras, you will see the volatile entity, ‘Amma.’ You’ll also see that same entity giving her devotees a tough time, shattering their image of an all nice motherly figure.

I do believe many people in her organization are also being spun in her web, but by their own deceit/greed. Yes, they are probably using her prestige, money and powers for their own gain, but they are being tricked by the entity as well. People liken her to Kali and if you know the real cosmic Kali, then Amma would qualify as manifesting aspects of that entity. If one is drawn and follows that entity, then one is in for a lesson that often times is not easy. I personally can not classify her as good or bad, but a necessary lesson for those who are drawn and follow her. She will break your illusion and often-times its not pretty, but at least it is progress.

P.S.- I was being tested when drawn to her to see if I would follow the path/guru/guide that God has sent me or follow the path of illusion. Though I was pulled, I broke free and passed the test. I since have not had a vision or prompting from Amma, the lesson is over. The lesson has made me stronger and wiser. She will move on to others to see if they need to be broken. Although, I agree with your observation, I believe that God has a purpose for all. God is always in control and manifests a role if their is a need for it. Many people are still stuck in the dark ages, clinging to idolatry worship, instead of invoking that same entity within. If entities like Amma manifest, its to cause pain and discomfort on that path, so that people can find the true path back to within themselves.

Madhu said,

Mr. Franklin, the very first seekers who arrived at Amma’s place came when there was nothing but Amma there– not even a hut! So you will do well to avoid arbitrary and sweeping statements such as ‘people come here to amass riches’. These people in fact abandoned their affluent homes and wealth to settle for whatever physical comfort raw earth could offer. They sacrificed everything they had for Amma, and only Amma.

ALICE said,

OMG, i wish i had read this before i took my two beautiful daughters to a SO CALLED SPECAIL DAY OUT, i spent 4 hours in the company of strange people, so glad my daughter said mum this is not making any sence please can we leave, we did, wish i could help others see, its oh so wrong, she a wrongin, i have lost my sister to this CULT, I MISS HER SO MUCH XXXXXXXXXXX

nestor said,

Majority of the Hindus have no time to read the verses of Bhagavad Gita, but ready to spend thousands of rupees, hard earned money, energy and time, at Ashrams and Spiritual centers of fake Babas and Mathas.All these godmen work on the basis of the gullibility of people… they only want power and money. These Godmens are falsely deviating people to reach the real God. These fraudulent Babas and Mathas never tell people to go and pray to the real God. They saying come to me, i can fullfill your dreams and worries.

dgaea said,

Smitha said,

Such a true statement. All the people running to the so called god men, forget the basic fact that no one can give you happiness or peace. It needs to be found within you. It is good to have a guru or some guiding factor for a common person, but blindly believing that person, is equal to being a slave!

Thanks for this informative piece. A real learning experience. I have a sister involved in this crap and this article certainly answers a few questions.

Sadly said sister has been the “Model” daughter to our elderly parents and I now understand why. Amma is in for an inheritance. Oh well, at the point of death only then will they realise that they have been fleeced.

me? Don’t mind I am not in their will. I’m just happy they brought me into this world and gave me an open mind to question things.

Edd hardy said,

A hug is very much a personal and intimate act, it does not make any sense to hang around a load of unfamiliar people, be told where and how to wait, get a ‘ticket’ for a queue and then a hug from a lovely lady that has no idea who you are, where you come from and the reason you are there in the first place. If it does not make sense, it is nonsense…

[…] The rest of the time, we were battling with the thousands (no exaggeration) of people fighting for meals in the food halls, or trying to get coffee at the cafe that seemed to open and close at random times of the day, or trying not to get indoctrinated into the cult of Amma. […]

My 42 yr old dghtr has been brainwashed by a fake Amma (New Castle, PA)and is getting a passport and Amma is telling her to go to Australia where she has been playing lovey dovey w/some stranger. She is definitely not the dghtr and mother and soon to be ex wife of everyone who knows her. She does not waqnt to listen or talk with family. What can I do?????

Cheryl said,

I went to an Amma “retreat” with an open, curious and happy state of mind; talked to many “devotees;” and waited in line for “hugs.” (When I reached Amma, as she “hugged” me, she chatted with one of her handlers.) After that “retreat” I decided it was not something I wanted to spend my time on. While all religions may have some elements of a cult, based upon my experieces I believe that Amma and her handlers are dark forces preying upon weak people to scam them for money, and they try to separate and destroy relationships IF one person is a “devotee” and the other is not. If you are not a “devotee” then you are on the outside and viewed as unenlighted, if not stupid. “Amma” who is not a trained therapist, family counselor, etc., dictates what her “devotees” do. For example, she gives them new names. Additionally, she gives her “blessings” for her “devotees” or “followers” to have relationships with other “devotees,” even when a devotee is married or in a committed relationship. Her retreats are like pick up joints where they all talk jibberish about Amma, as they hand over their mastercards to people dressed in bedsheets. So if you go see “Amma”, you may want to beware.

Satyasiddhi said,

I am a member of an Amma satsang, and am increasingly disturbed by the oppression of questions, silencing of dissent by ex-communication, and bigotry under a cloak. The Amma center here refused ashram to a member because he is gay, and covered it up. If you show up more than once, you are pressured to start paying in. There is a great deal of pressure to buy books, pay for programs, donate for prayer puja, and pay to travel and see Amma. Everyone is rich in all the Amma centers I have visited, no poor folks to be seen, and I have visited 9 so far.

Whenever people leave ashram and have something critical to say, they pick the person apart in their absence, when they cannot speak for themselves. They actually have programs that teach you that anyone who criticizes is wrong, and they teach a condescending patronization as a response which they call, “empathic listening.” Meanwhile, no one listens to anything but what they like to hear. People are pushed out of groups all the time for saying the wrong thing.

An pretense of openness is maintained, but if you ask the wrong questions, you get immediately excluded. Huge money was spent on the center, yet almost no one stays in the ashram. They charge quite a bit for just about every program, and you must pay if you stay over even one night for a festival, yet the qualifications of the program leaders are often quite thin.

There is definitely a silent ban on anything but mindless devotion. Any rational interpretation of Hinduism is not welcome. Odd secrets are kept: Amma has no guru and is not really qualified as a guru without lineage desingation, but no one ever tells you that. The people who manage the ashrams and centers act like petty feudal lords. People are denied things without explanation.

richananda said,

Everyone here mostly seems to be westerners having doubts about following eastern paths (mostly the paths from India). The eastern paths have a long history and many branches of the Vedic path such as Bhakti (devotion), Karma yoga (good deeds), Jnana Yoga (Knowledge), Raja Yoga (meditation) etc. all have a value. Many westerners follow one of these paths or a combination of them with or without a guru. The eastern paths are not for everyone. Doing devotional chants or mediating with a mantra or holy sound or affirmation is also not for everyone. Some of these methods may seem too strange for the western mind.
Many believe the eastern practices are not appropriate for westerners or for modern times. Some believe no practices and/or teachers are necessary. That is okay. There is nothing wrong with that belief and many here seem to have that view. Some seem, however, disenchanted with the eastern methods and teachers.
Many new age methods also come from eastern methods and, to some extent, many are practicing a form of one of the yogas under a western teaching. There is nothing wrong with any of these methods. Each person will select a path or create his or her own path. This is freedom of choice. It is okay if you reject the eastern path, and it is also appropriate to allows other to follow these paths with or without a guru. There is nothing wrong with following eastern or western paths. Many will disagree with a particular path or believe their path is higher, faster or divinely inspired. But one has to be careful here not to be so fanatical. Many wars are based on this tribal consciousness thinking.
As far as gurus and organization, perhaps an independent consumer protection agency should be created to file complaints just like you would do for any other organization. But we should separate real complaints from preferences to teachings and teachers. In the same way files complaints against a vendors when the product or service is does not work and we may request a refund. There are laws of what is allow and many companies have policies for refund etc. And when there are disagreements beyond that, you may take it to the court system. But we don’t go to course because we jut do not prefer the product or believe another is better. Se simply move on to the vendor we choose. It is the Apple vs. PC issue some people have. Yes, you may hate Apple or the PC (some affiliate the PC with Microsoft since the software drives the machine), but it is just a preference. If you really want to get so worked up over Apple vs PC, that is your choice.
There are ways to complain and if it is just venting, these blogs are fine and extremely helpful for releasing. If you believe a consumer protection agency is needed outside of any other existing agency, then perhaps that is what you would do. As far as using the legal system, that should only be used for real cases of fraud and other crimes. There is generally no crime in following a eastern path or for meditating or chanting or doing any strange practice.
Many spiritual organizations charge money for their services. Some charge very little. Some charge a lot. I have not seen a comparison chart of the various groups. Those that offer retreats and other distant programs may charge for housing or a combination of housing and course fees. Is there something wrong with charging fees? Some believe everything should be free because it is spiritual. But those who work in the holistic and spiritual field are earning their living. They need to get compensated for their services. Now that is an entirely different topic and maybe beyond the scope of the topics here. Everyone has an economic and political philosophy. But all spiritual, holistic and religious organization needs funds to survive. The non-profit receive money from donors and charges fees for services. You can find some information online for firm that file form Check with the IRS http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits and other disclosure information websites. There certainly can be more trasparancy in non-profits. But individuals offering any service (have no obligations to make their financial records public unless they have a publicly held organization.
There is another issue that I notice is that many in the holistic and spiritual field have. That is a vow of poverty. This is called poverty consciousness. It is not healthy for most westerners. There is research on this and I encourage people to work on their poverty consciousness. Review the financial therapy literature and start with the works on money scripts by Rick Kahler and others. Again, in the content of the westerner, there has to be a balance lifestyle and each person needs to find their balance. There is just not one path that fits everyone.
If you want to experience some very deep confessions on how the economic world works, please start off with John Perkins book below. Then move to his most recent books. There is so much work to transform the corruption in this world. These books are a heavy read and may take some further study.http://www.economichitman.com/

I wish everyone here well, no matter what path you choose, eastern, western, guru, no guru.
Whether believe or believer, we are all together on this planet and as one family must make this world work. It is all for God realization, Love and Service, and for my atheist friends, it is all for fun! Lighten up and enjoy. Move forward with your inner guru and the almighty divine everywhere present!

brontebaxter said,

Leo, I suggest you join the Ex-Amma forum (a Yahoo Groups discussion group intended primarily for ex-devotees and questioning devotees). You will get a lot more information there. One of the members is Gail Tredwell, who was Amma’s primary female disciple for 20 years before she defected due to all the abuse she saw and experienced. The Rolling Stone article on Amma last August (2012) included almost a whole page of allegations by Gail (formerly called “Gayatri”). This says something, as libel laws prevent the media from printing allegations they have not corroborated based on at least one or two other sources: meaning the magazine examined her allegations and found they held up. Gail is writing an expose book on Amma that is due to come out this summer. She says what she’s shared so far is only the tip of the iceberg.

Leo said,

I don’t know what to believe. I know I don’t want to believe that Amma is a fake, I did find out about her at a very low low time in my life, the lowest ever infact. I read the stories of her childhood abuse and her young Christ like spirit to feed the hungry in the poor village she grew up in. I read how she licked leprosy and healed it with her immense fearless love. How she travels missed upon miles without stopping on bumping dirt roads through India just to hug people. Being someone who suffers from lack of love, appreciation, and (self) acceptance, I still find myself drawn to the idea of this woman who loves so unconditionally.

I do recognize in myself my severe lack of wanting to believe that the holy woman I have always held her to be, may in fact be a trickster, well, Kali is the destruction of ignorance. There is an American woman that goes by the name Ram, aka JD Knight, I believe, her book, the white book, is filled with Devine truths, but she is said to be highly neglectful and abusive to her followers, who also now have support groups.

One of the reasons that I was so drawn to Amma was my awareness of Illuminati takeover, I have been a listener of David Icke for several years, even seeing him in the u.s. So for me, she was an image and connection to my faith to the devine Christ feminine, loving, compassion for all amidst the darkness surrounding us.

I do know that there are allusionists from both sides of polarity, yes, to bring in the shift, not the nwo one world order, but the shift where government, system, media, mind control, aggression, suffering, neglect, malnutrition, stress, abuse, and victimization all end and harmony restores. perhaps there’s bits of truth in all of it. Maybe Amma is of lineage where she is destined to be a false god for the sake of bringing true godliness within us all. This is somewhat of what I’ve heard Jd Knight say as well, but she, personally, just looks like she’s had severe difficulty with the energy she’s been communicating with.
I pray for peace for all, may Amma’ truth be revealed.

Really amazing , all I am wondering is that there is a hallmark of all great human beings , they must be source of unconditional Love.

Putting so many conditions for HUGS should raise a basic question about spirituality of the person. But I understand that during low times of life, we break down in our defenses and then feel oblige to any type of people who help us during difficult times irrespective of what they are.
I found Bronte after reading about release of book by other lady Gail. I have personal experiences of loved one involved in similar cult based on some other religion and have read extensively writings of Steve Hassan too.
Wish life was simple and unconditional love was not that difficult.

Madhuyogini said,

Leo, this is how the awakening begins. It is painful, but in the end you will feel more freedom. I was hurt, angry, and embarrassed when I finally woke up to who Amma was. Gail’s testimony was really the breaking point, I realized that Amma was a liar and a scam.

I also felt divine forces around her, and agree with a poster above, that perhaps it is God’s will that a being like her exist to take all the people who want illusion under her wing.

God is within you, everything you need you already have. It is your journey. Someone who helped me regain myself again is a alternative researcher named Michael Tsarion. You can view his video, Architects of Control for free on youtube:

I don’t necessarily believe everything he says, but what I really like is that he says what very few people say: Forget the guru, big daddy, outside influences. Go within yourself to find out what is true for you in your experience. Although I think some people are treating him like a guru, I really hope that it does not turn into another guru worship wank.

Deborah said,

I attended an Amma retreat and it seemed like a money making scam and a vehicle for males and females to lose their moral and ethical boundaries. Amma encourages devotees to do whatever makes them happy, including shacking up with another devotee for a few days on “retreat” behind your wife/husband/significant other’s back under the pretense that they are drawing closer to Amma. More significantly, it has all the indicia of a cult, including separation from loving family members. It’s unfortunate that the government cannot shut it down.

I call her “Scamma!” after taking a backwater cruise that promised to be 6 hours long, the reality, (more like double that,) as the sun was setting our only alternative, we were pulled up to her ashram to stay for the night. Outside a huge western union money transfer billboard, on an ‘island’ and no escape. White clad western zombies approached us speaking in monotone to welcome us to the ashram.
We were taken to the 12th floor in an escalator, to pay $20 each for a matress on the floor, in a shared room with two others-($60 a room times about 10 rooms for each floor!). (Back then I could get a hotel for a week on that,) nevertheless the price included, ‘dinner’ (which consisted of watery lentil and rice slop (western priced decent meals could be bought for extra in the canteen) ..and of course a hug in the morning. I thought ‘dammit, Im being screwed here, Ive paid for a hug, ….I WANT A HUG! ” The evening as I bedded down there were two israeli girls with the dolls tapes books etc…I never laughed so much in my travels in India-here they were telling me how Amma had changed their lives….I felt sad for them as well, as it became evident Amma preys on people who had lack of mothering, tapping into the primal need to have mother attachment, yet so many abused neglected children become adults…and she fullfills the need…for a price. ANYWAY,…we had to line up for a couple of hours to get the hugging ticket the night before, then wait again the same amount of time off stage in the morning to get a hug…meanwhile the anticipation is building possibly affecting alpha beta waves in the brain…I was non reactionary, in fact annoyed to have to have waited so long…The hug lasted about 1 second before she pushed me off of her…and rattled some gibberish in my ear and gave me a bag of lollies…afterwards my israeli roommates were estatic..”did you FEEL IT?” feel what? the vibrational energy from her chest..”YEAH!!” all that was, Im convinced was one of those demtel weight loss belts for the morbidly obese they flog off at 3am on the infomercial programmes. It made me laugh all the more. I went I saw I got the hug. nothing but,…. Amma the scamma! those poor lost souls thinking they are getting something else….

Karen said,

I have a family member who has not left her bed in 14 years because Amma has asked her to make this sacrifice. This woman has someone come in, take care of her meals, and empty her jugs which she uses as a bathroom. She believes (I think) that lying prone allows 3 women in India to use her energy! By the way, the family member lives in the states and has never been to India.

Megan Oliver said,

This absolutely sickens me. To think that a person that caims they are all about love, would ask someone to throw their life away lying in a bed endlessly!? It’s cruel and manipulative, I’m so sorry for you and for your family to have suffered this.

susanna said,

Well, there are also many people around any spiritual organisation or gathering who are not mentally healthy. They are living their own imaginational world. Many say “Jesus says, Amma says, Mohammad said ” even when they did not say anything at all. Often all illusions fall away in the presence of consious people, the whole point is awaken to your own true one and only, all there is, Self. Sorry to say, but your family member is sick, nothing to do with Amma….for sure. It is okay to question and even critisize but that is already biggest ignorance I have ever heard.

Lara winter said,

My ex husband joined this bizarre cult, and Amma married him, and when his new wife got cancer Amma told her not to accept medical treatment and surprise surprise she died leaving behind 2 young sons. He seemed to think this was fine and I couldn’t help thinking that he was totally brainwashed

Jeanne said,

I agree. The same way Jim Jones and others needed to be investigated. I personally cannot find any kind of public disclosure of records, such as a 401 non-profit report. Is this because her organization originates in India? I think if it’s operating anywhere here, then it should be held to the same scrutiny that all of our non-profits are subject to.

Jeanne said,

I went with a new, visiting friend to the Seattle morning public session last Friday (May 24th). I had never even heard of Amma before. My experience was just like Stewart’s: I didn’t feel ANY authentic feelings and energy of love. I was asked to do “selfless service” for an hour and watch a jewelry table. I was instructed to not take my eyes off of the peoples’ hands for any reason. I was so grateful when someone else came along to take my spot! I realize people do steal, but I do not feel the need to assume everyone is a suspect, let alone hover over them like a guard. When my friend introduced me to several people, many of them reminded me of the looney tunes cartoons where they get hit over the head and have “pinwheels” in their eyes: Ooooh, Amma….. I am not sorry I went, though. I have always known that there are cults out there, but I have never been up close and personal to witness how it actually all goes down! I can cross that off my bucket list now. Thankfully I am a strong and spiritually grounded woman or I may have gotten sucked into it, too. I am extremely sensitive, and what I felt was a lot of people searching for their “purpose” and “who they are” and being misled. It makes me feel sick to my stomach to see people bow down and worship another human being. I told my friend over coffee that I do not believe that this woman has any more “God” in her than me, him, or the girl who just made my latte does. I will not speak of the financial aspect of this organization because I have not done the research to know what I’m talking about. Even without the details of that, and just one day of milling about the event, it wasn’t rocket science to see what’s going on there. I also got into the darshan line and got a hug. My friend asked me later: “wow, was it life-changing?” Honestly, I didn’t feel anything except the people who yanked me away after a half a minute or so (and I do not like being grabbed in that manner by people:p). I have a wonderful support/social network and get hugs daily from the people in my life – those are life-changing, those are where I feel the love flow in. I do not wish to hear this woman compared to Mother Theresa, either, it just makes me feel sick. I will end with this: if you are reading these accounts and unsure how you feel, please remember that we all have the same intrinsic worth and divinity inside of us no matter what – that includes YOU! :)))))))

Amy said,

Ok, crazy question…but are there two women traveling and acting as Amma? She is in Minneapolis yesterday and today as listed on one website, karunamayi.org……..and yet another website http://amma.org/meeting-amma/north-america has her as being on the west coast! The pictures of the woman on the two sites even look a little different – yet similar, two different birth years are listed, the names she goes by are different on the two sites… What the heck is going on here? Which is Ammas actual website, and who is this other Amma?

brontebaxter said,

“Amma” means “mother” in Hindi. As far as I know, there is one other popular guru called Amma. She’s married to some guru guy, and they teach a questionable technique that involves laying hands on a person’s head and calling down a “blessing” in a foreign language – yeah, right. Translation: giving your permission for a foreign entity to come in and manipulate your life and your consciousness and feed off your energy.

But that’s not the Amma my article was written about. It’s the other one, who also feeds on souls but who is more famous, on account of her hugs. Such a great gimmick, giving away hugs! Guaranteed to make an energy thief seem benevolent.

Amma is just her nickname. Her official name is Mata Amritanandamayi, and Amma.org is her official cult website.

Brian Reed said,

Everyone here sees what they want to see, for better or worse. Traditionally guru’s never taught en-mass. Doing so under any business organization non-prof. or otherwise means pursuing money. Ammachi deals with thousands of people everyday and after all of this imagine how she feels having absorbed so much suffering. She like all of us is consciousness in a body, and she is fully aware of her divine reality. All students have to face the obstruction of separation, thinking they must become like their guru to become enlightened when in reality they only need to pay attention. I asked Ammachi for a mantra, she said, “You already have one.” She would not get in the way of my guru. Everyone who thinks that guru’s have to be perfect according to some false stereotype are in for a big surprise….All saints, even Jesus, Buddha, Ram, Krishna, Mohammad, Moses, etc. have human bodies and are just like us except they are clouded by the, “I” ego which itself is not evil but is colored by your karma. It is only your impure vision that sees things clouded including your own divinity and casts doubts because you think the guru is separate from you because you see a body in front of you. There is nothing that is not yourself, The point of awareness you are contains everything and a real guru teaches you to look within., Guru worship is misunderstood, it is not about externals and all these deva’s and devata’s although real do control you because you do not listen to them. They are saying, “Wake up!” until you do you are at their mercy. Not everything is as it seems. The polarity of help vs. harm comes out of yourself. If you go to her for dependency, that is what you get until you wake up. Connecting to your inner divinity helps Amma and any real saint reach more people, Those that need dolls are simply at an earlier stage in development and should not be mocked, it is what they need. Almost all of you here miss the mark. Go your own way, it is okay, who are you? What are you? Where are you? WHo is seeing? Who is perceiving? What is it? Her teachings are timeless the only difference is having to deal with millions of followers. Corruption is rampant in any corporation as long as concrete and money is involved, this does not mean the teacher is not real. If connect to her internally, you will not fall for all of this crap and instead help her because she helps so many, not out of selfish motivations for your own gain. Don’t expect the guru to be perfect, if you do you are falling into your own trap of self-blame and shame. Look deeper than surface appearances, look deeply into your heart. If you know who you are you will know how to connect with her in a healthy way. Her job is to bring her bliss to everyone, your job is to see how it works in your life or not. If you don’t want it go somewhere else. There are many false teachers and Ammachi and the furthest from that. Many of her followers and organization are puppets of their own making. All have some ignorance and she deals with everyone on every level en-mass. Once you pick apart everything it is reduced to ashes, this is true for all teachers except for those who do not have ashrams.

brontebaxter said,

I normally don’t allow devotees of Amma to post their diatribes on my website, but I’ve allowed the one above because it represents the mentality of many cult followers, and as such, is useful for my readers who don’t understand cult mentality to see. Brian’s post is full of the rationalizations that buttress this woman’s divinity in his own mind and that are responsible for maintaining her empire.

Since posting this article on my blog several years ago, much more has come out about this so-called “saint.” In August 2012, Rolling Stone printed an article that included a long interview with Gail Tredwell (“Gayatri”), Amma’s former lead female disciple for 20 years. Tredwell has exposed Amma for physically abusing her closest female disciples (flying into rages in which she claws and bites them, even knocking them to the floor), using donations to make her family rich, asking lead disciples – when speaking to Amma’s crowds – to tell stories of miracles that were fabricated events … and that’s only some of it. Even worse stuff has been done, that will all come out in a book Tredwell is writing.

People who want to know more can join the ex-amma forum so as to examine the posts archives, where Tredwell and others have posted numerous messages with some of their firsthand experiences.

Klaus Kollmann said,

I was a disciple of Amma from 1995 to 2003. I was “high” on her….. loved the atmosphere, the music, the people?(not really, its more of a competition for Amma;s attention) loved the hugs and loved kissing her feet when I had the opportunity. I even got the opportunity to sing for her at one retreat….that was the biggest high of all. Then my wife had an affair, then another, then another and my life fell apart (Only the first was Amma related). In 2003, I took my new roommate to see her (I had left my wife) and as suddenly as it had begun….it was over. Amma got out of the white mercedes and came towards me. “Hi Amma,” I said, and she looked straight at me and saying “Namah Shivaya”….walked away. I knew at that moment it was over. My connection was gone. And it was! I tried once more in 2005 and felt totally disconnected from what then seemed a sham.

Religion IS a sham and a racket….generally speaking. “God” inspires us and “Satan” organizes inspiration into religious systems.

The Guru system has been in place in India for thousands of years and I imagine was a way of cultivating self awareness and also a way to distribute alms and charity. It is a “stage” in spiritual growth…..(when the student is ready….the teacher will appear). Most religious systems operate in a pyramidal way with the Shepherd (read pope, guru, master, governing body) and his or her assistants, priests, bishops, pastor etc. controlling the masses (sheep). People like to “Belong” and feel part of something greater than themselves and since most of us have left the tribal way of life behind, we feel a real need to be part of a group. Besides….once we “Believe”….rational and discriminative thought is no longer necessary. We are “in” the fold. We belong! and we’re happy…..for awhile…… I was not surprised to read of Gayle’s (Gayatri) experiences of the negative side of Amma. Amma spends all day…every day….absorbing peoples negativities and unhappiness. This has to go somewhere! And where better than on to her close disciples?…..They believe she is God Incarnate….as I did for awhile and even if they stop believing at some point….it’s a good life….no worries!!! Everything is taken care of……just like all clergy everywhere. So now……I see “God” everywhere…It’s LIFE and the awareness of being alive. Being with Amma taught me how religious systems work and the fact that I don’t ever need to be part of one again. Thanks!

Jacqui Crome said,

When I questioned her as a dark force I was told by vortex students that it was because I was evil in some way. I would see the brain washed devotees scurrying around lost and beaten. Believing in something more than your self seems to be most destructive for any being. Thanks for being vocal and truthful. I was going to see if it could be reported to the authorities but am not sure how these things happen. Maybe pubic awareness is the way forward.

Joann said,

My sister Lisa was an Amma follower and made A LOT of cash donations to Amma. The most recent was a $1,000.00 donation made on March 4, 2013.
My sister died on March 1, 2013 and I am the executrix of her estate.
She was not conscious for the last day of her life, so I am at a loss as to how she could have made the above mentioned donation. My sister also contributed A LOT of money to the building of some Indian apartments in 2005.
Who is this evil woman? She has had a hold on my sister for decades and caused much pain and suffering to our family.
Has any one complained to the authorities about the scam?

brontebaxter said,

Joann, I posted your comment here to the Ex-Amma Forum (at ex-amma@yahoogroups.com). Someone posted a reply, which I thought you should see. He gave me permission to re-post it here. The text of his comment follows.

Best regards,
Bronte

Text of the poster’s message:

“OMG, that is scary. Could it be that her sister gave Amma info about her bank account and they just took the “donation” out like a withdrawal? I attended the last Amma event in NY, this past weekend before I came out of my dazed state and understood that Amma was fake. In one of Amma’s two speeches to the crowd, she
said we are too untrusting in our relationships, and an example of our lack of faith, is that we do not share our bank accounts. I was shocked when I heard it and I wondered if I had never really been listening before. After the speech, I asked some other attendees if they also heard that and would share their bank accounts to show their “trust” in others. No one I spoke to agreed that they would share their accounts but neither were they bothered by what Amma said enough to reconsider their devotion to her. Are we all sheep? I began to ask myself. So, maybe Joanne should hurry and change the account numbers as fast as possible!!! Amma might not know the sister passed away and might feel free to continue to withdraw money OR if Amma knows she passed away she might try to
take all of it. Change the account passwords fast!!!!!!!!!”

She presents itself in the best Hindu way as such, with a crown on her head and a self-staging suitable for this role.

Many of her disciples therefore see Amma as a god.

Amma says that compassion can not be taught to others.

So we can understand that Jesus and Buddha and all the other great teachers were just amateurs, who did not have the correct understanding, as Amma – since they thought they could learn compassion, to others.

It is probably wise that Amma usually limits herself to hugging her disciples – since such verbal nonsense, is the result of her “philosophical” considerations .

Learning compassion is a quite simple and easily comprehensible case, in all major religions.

Amma’s organization writes on their website, that Amma has invented a new form of meditation which they have patented.

“IAM – Integrated Amrita Meditation Technique ® is a registered trademark in order to preserve the original form of meditation designed and developed by Amma and to prevent misuse by unauthorized and unqualified teachers.”

I belive it has never ever happened before, that a religious teacher or organization, has tried to buy and own, a spiritual technique.

At least it’s never done, by any TRUE teacher.

It’s common greed and very sad, to see religion being run as capitalist industry.

If someone try to buy and own spirituality or spiritual techniques as a piece of land in the physical world, it is an sure sign that they have not achieved real spirituality, but live as slaves of the material world.

The whole purpose of true spiritual life is to getting rid of the burden of the material world – but here they seek not freedom but more property.

They explain on the website:

“Practicing this meditation technique provides greater clarity and insight which opens up to creativity and awareness throughout the day. Moreover, increased energy levels and meditation technique helps to reduce tension, thereby improving the mental and physical health.”

Which not in any way differ from results in normal meditation.

Despite these perfectly normal and in no way spectacular results of the Amma meditation, they anyway belive it is necessary to patent their “product”.

When patenting something, one reason is that you want to own – another reason is a fear of loosing it.

From this action we can see that not alone is desire and greed part of Ammas mind, there is also fear.

People who are true spiritual, is not afraid of losing anything – and they do not bind themselves not to anything in this world, simply because they have no desires.

Amma says to her students:

“When you go on a trip, you carry your bags to the station, once on the train you seen dem down and relax. If you have the faith in the supreme, place all your luggage to Gods feet, and easily good take care of it “.

But she herself does not have the same confidence in God as she preaches, and is therefore obliged to patent, to protect what she sees as his property.

Amma therefore does not take refuge in the divine, but in ownership, patents and Lawyers.

Buddha said: Everything in this world is perishable, cling to nothing.

Jesus said: Do not build house in this world.

Amma’s actions says: Let’s patent and own.

Human words can lie, but the truth can often be read, out by their actions.

Many of Amma’s faithful believers see the fact that Amma has donated many millions to charity, as proof of her holiness.

But when someone receive hundreds of millions in donations, its not a problem to give 50 to the poor, or build a hospital or two.

The true name for this is not charity, but business, because its function is to make sure the donations, keep coming.

Amma’s organization is a Hindu organization, but they as other Hindu organizations, try to open the door to many potential devotees in the West, by calling themself anything but Hindus.

In Denmark we have another group of Hindus who also wont admit that they are Hindus, instead calling themselves “The universal religion” and get people into the fold by making them believe that here are all religions “equally good” which of course is pure deception.

Amma says therefore, at the same manipulative level as the “universal” Hindus, that her religion is love, which of course is a safe “universal” thing to say, as it does not frighten Westerners in need of a mother figure.

Yes … they are really talented and enterprising people, those Hindus.

Had the sect instead said publicly, that their religion was Hinduism and their teacher was an earthly manifestation of Kali, the Hindu goddess of death and destruction, it may well be that there would have been longer between the customers.

Then it sells much better, to talk about love.

Had Amma been able to patent love, we can be sure that she had done that too.

Hinduism is a religion that contains the obnoxious belief that man is born with good or bad qualities, depending on the family and social class they are born into.

It create a class divided society where the highest social classes look down on the lowest and regard them as unclean.

Hinduism is based upon a primitive and logically totally impossible faith, in a loving and all-powerful creator who has created this world with so much suffering and pain.

Horrifying. My first intuition about Amma was, “another guru playing God” and “sounds like a cult”. So I believe you. Please help us all by posting evidence, sources for your information. Many wont believe you without some kind of proof.

brontebaxter said,

This is an old article, written several years ago, and some of the links no longer work as the websites linked to are out of date. For the most current evidence and other current information, readers should visit the archives at the ex-amma forum (a yahoogroups) which is forum intended for recovering ex-amma devotees but is open to the public to come and read there to get truthful information about Amma.

One of the most telling sources of “evidence” is last year’s Rolling Stone article (2012) on Amma, which included information from Gail Tredwell (“Gayatri”), Amma’s chief female disciple (of 19-plus years). She relates stories of shocking physical abuse and donations being used to make Amma’s family rich. This article is in the ex-amma archives and can also be found at the Rolling Stone website under a search for “Amma.” There’s lots more in the archives besides, for anyone who wishes to look for it. Look, in particular, at the oldest posts, as that’s where most of the salient information is contained.

Also, Gail will soon be coming out with an expose book recounting her experiences, some of which are far more shocking even than those she shared with Rolling Stone. (I’m aware of one bombshell in particular.) This book will greatly help to expose the truth to the public.

Sceptics & Saints said,

I spent 2 evenings at an Amma gathering and received Darshan. I have been on the spiritual path a long time, and like many people here, have learned (unfortunately) to become sceptical around spiritual teachers. The weekend I attended was completely free. I didn’t put myself forward for Darshan the first evening, as I wanted to check things out first. On the second evening, I received Darshan from Amma, and it was a direct experience of divine energy. I was very shaken and moved by it, and have been experiencing a deep healing and realignment since. Will she become my Guru – no, as I don’t believe in gurus, and it’s just not a tradition that sits comfortably with those of us brought up in the west. If there are financial ‘scams’ happening, I hope they’re looked into, and there is never justification for violence if those reports are true. What I’m saying is – we do indeed make her our ‘mother’ and become like children when we expect her to be all good. What human being, saint or not, in the history of this planet, has been ‘all good’? A huge part of this dynamic lies with us – we who know all too well the slippery complexity of human life, and we project onto the ‘holy ones’ that they should not be human – though they have human bodies, come from ordinary families who have ordinary pain.

I have to say, I was struck by some of the highlighting of the author in the original article, especially around surrender – surrender is part of every deep spiritual practice in every religion on this planet, particularly the Christian tradition. It made me wonder do you know your spiritual onions at all? And the paranoia about the UN, is an insularism only held dearly by Americans. Also a number of comments from people clearly ‘doing’ spirituality as if it should be a weekend at a spa.

So to sum up – it’s great to have debate, it’s great to shine light on any abuses there may be, and to expect that to be changed and be stopped. But perhaps the greatest opportunity of all in this is, as adults, to stop our child expectations of finding the perfect all loving mother or father. I don’t doubt that Amma is a holy being and flawed like the rest of us. And I don’t doubt that the rest of us are holy beings, and flawed only in not realising it, projecting the divine always outside of ourselves.

Christina said,

I have been to Amma in Holland and in India. I have no idea what you are writing about… I learned IAM mediation and I did not have to pay any money. The reason they gave me why is is patent is that it is important to do it right. And if everybody changes it a little bit, t will not have the same effect. I am naif? I never felt that I have to give money or that Amma is living a rich live. She all the time hugging and traveling, not much time to spent money. Living in the ashram is very cheap even for western people. Food is for free. Of course I see devotees of Amma that are lost and there are people who see her as a God, but I don’t see any harm in that.. People are lost anyway and have Amma as your God or Oprah, Justin Bieber or Jesus of even the greatest God in this time; money. Witch one one is the best.
Am I naif? I am looking forward to read more about Amma. Specially from Gail.

brontebaxter said,

Yes, I am afraid you ARE naive … as so many of us have been. You are misinformed in your belief that devotees stay at the ashram for free: it is actually quite expensive.

Also, Gail Tredwell’s book is now available on Amazon and on Kindle. It contains explosive revelations. Gail says she was raped by one of the chief swamis and that Amma maintains secret sexual relationships with that swami and several others. For anyone reading this who does not know what “swami” means, it is a Hindu version of “monk” – a person who has taken a lifelong vow of celibacy. Gail Tredwell was Amma’s personal attendant and chief female disciple for 19 years, before defecting about a decade ago.

Christina, you may want to join the ex-amma forum (a private yahoogroups forum) where recovering devotees gather to share their experiences and to heal.

Christina said,

We lived in the ashram for 3 months. We paid i think 5 euro’s for the room with 3 people including food. That is not a lot, is it? I strated with the book from gail. I am very curios.
I have no bad expercience with Amma or her people. So i can not join this group. But i like to be informed. That also means the bad story’s about Amma. The only thing I feel is strange that all the people who are close to Amma for a long time seem verry tirred and unhappy. I could not live the life of a devotee. I love being free too much!

I hope you have got your answers , alternatively it is easy to test the hypothesis that everything on offer there is “unconditional love” by visiting Amma ashram with bare essentials and expectation of all support of a healer with no expectations ( specially cash use) in return of knowledge sharing as spokeswoman of God.
Many people only learn from own mistakes .

Reshma said,

Well i am not a believer but would want to share my story…I came to know about amma’s existence 9yrs back from my boyfriend who believes in her eyes closed. Apparently now after being in a 8yr old relationship she says that we should not get married coz it will turn out to be bad. On the other hand has found some gal who happens to be her follower. My boyfriend who is in love with me is ready to do so because he wants to follow what she says. And this lady talks about LOVE…Just for my boyfriend i went to Kerala to seek her permission & she does the hugging & not willing to even talk to me.
How can someone who talks so much about love actually guide any of their follower to this extend.

Because of her my life is in stand still. I love my boyfriend can’t think about anyone else about from him & i want to prove him & amma wrong that she is no god & cant decide for us. Want him to wake up from his dirty dream & come back to reality.

Christina said,

Reshma, I am sorry to hear this. I also find this hard to understand. I have adult friends who also ask Amma when they have to make a desicion in live. I can’t understand why they give this power to a human being. I hope your boyfriend will change his mind, and chooses what ever he wants. Good luck!

Klaus said,

The comment about Gayle’s book does not surprise me. I was a devotee for 8 years and then in 2003 I took a friend to see her and the “magic” was gone. Amma noticed my change and I heard in the way she said “Namah Shivaya” to me that she noticed my change of heart, I tried once more with my Uncle who was curious and I knew then that it was completely over. The whole “celibacy” idea is ridiculous and usually leads to some form of abuse…..as in the Roman Catholic priests and others who abuse children. The procreative urge is in 99% of the population and sex is the most natural thing in the world. When it is repressed…it pops out in less healthy ways. I feel terribly for Gayle who suffered the abuse that she did from Amma (Slapping and hitting and screaming) and the Swami raping her. The thing is…..what goes around…..comes around. We never really get away with bad actions.0…sooner or later they come back and slap US in the face! I’m so grateful that Gayle wrote her book and revealed what many already suspected. Amma is no more “God” than you or I. We all share the same life force but of course there are so many in the world looking for guidance outside of themselves…..when all answers lie within! May all our eyes be opened and those who take advantage be revealed as the charlatans they are….Peace be with you.

Bronte Baxter said,

YOUR ATTEMPTED RANTS WILL NOT BE POSTED HERE. THIS BLOG IS NOT A PLACE FOR PEOPLE LOST IN THE CULT TO COME AND DEFEND THEIR ILLUSIONS OR TO HURL INSULTS AT PEOPLE WHO ATTEMPT TO EXPOSE THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE YOUR OWN WEBSITES FOR THAT. DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME SUBMITTING HATEFUL COMMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE POSTED.

anil said,

Im so glad,to see this blog.. I live in Kerala where this ‘witch'(I don’t like to call her Amma) belongs to.. I can say 80% of people living here knew that she is fake. But the government and media here are not willing to investigate the credibility of her organisation.. I am,not sure that you are,going to read this comment, but I want to express my support to your forum. Thankyou

Reshmi said,

I read the entire blog. I come from close to the ‘Amma’ village but have never visited the place. For a long time she was completely unheard of, even to the nearby towns or local newspapers. Then suddenly she rose to fame through her hugs. If she had done magics in her early life as she claims, the local press or radio or television would have reported her as atleast a ‘different’ being. So I guess all that are made up stories about her childhood. I always wondered, why she needs so much of money, institutions and other things if she is a saint. And to me all these godmen are fakes. May be she started as a true saint and developed into a fake. I never felt like going there even once and in Kerala, there is only a small portion of people who believe in her. Her trick is that she attracts the celebrities from media, politicians, movies etc and uses them to market herself. Most of her devotess are from abroad as she is interested more in the $$ and Euro than poor indian rupee. I have heard that she even helps politicians and other corrupts to cover up their crimes through her influential network. And in return they protect her. Her birthday celebration recently was the biggest mockery. How I wish someone exposes her true colour and business! Thanks for the blog.

Philice said,

Bronte,
Please update the Ex-Amma Yahoogroup link in your article tohttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/ex-amma/
and give links to Gail Tredwell’s expose book “Holy Hell” which details the fraud, violence and sexual misbehaving of Ammachi with her celibate swami’s and rapist organization head Big Swami Balu. Amma supports liars and sexual predators on her ashram such as Rishi Taavi Kassila.

brontebaxter said,

eileenweed said,

Thanks for spreading this critically important info, Bronte! I had similar experiences during my time at Puttaparthi with sathya sai baba. After losing faith, due to my extensive brainwashing since childhood, I wanted to retain some loyalty and ‘see no evil, speak no evil’ so I kept quiet on what I knew. Slowly I realized that by keeping quiet, I was encouraging adharma to flourish. It is our duty to speak up and I pray that many others who have close experience with amma and other gurus who are hypocrites, will come forward. I finally did speak out: http://robertpriddy.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/puttaparthi-report-by-former-long-term-devotee/

I am a devotee of Amma. I am confused and bewildered. I have not read Gail’s book, though I’ve heard of part of it. I have stayed at the Ashram, I have done the whole North India Tour. I leave in NY & I am one of the coordinator of post Darshan seating during the NY programs. My Husband drives her attendants and her luggage to and to and from the hall. I don’t know what is true and what is not. I do know that none of us knows everything, none of us can see the whole picture. But I would like to understand how so many feel so good in her presence. How can she sit for practically days on end… okay so her family has become rich, but what about her? What does she, personally, get out of her gruelling life?
Esmeralda?Anadi

brontebaxter said,

Esmerelda, I suggest you join the Ex-Amma Forum (at yahoogroups.com). It is a good place to ask questions like this of the former devotees and to sort out your feelings. Lots of ex-cult members have struggled with the same questions that are bothering you right now. I’ve seen this particular question you’ve raised discussed on the forum. The ex-devotees point out that we have conditioned ourselves to assume that Amma’s sitting there, receiving hugs and adoration, is a grueling thing for her. In fact, it is probably the all-time high: thousands of people worshipping you, giving you the same love they would give God. Actors and rock stars talk about the high they get doing public performances. The energy of the audience, all focused on them, ratchets up their own energy and endorphins to sky-high levels. It’s probably the same thing going on here, with Amma, only more so, since loving, worshipping energy keeps flowing to her for hours and hours on end. We all know how good a hug feels … imagine being hugged again and again all day long! Who wouldn’t get high off of that? And that’s not even counting the formal worship rituals, all directed to her.

george said,

Why follow anyone? Amma (and most gurus) sucks on the energy of her followers. When she hugs she plants an energetic hook into the victim and then like Sai baba! (who corrupted the B/Gita to his own ends) then draws on it when she needs energy. We are are all subjects of energy and illness comes from giving it away.

As the Dali Lama once said – before you follow anyone – observe them for ten years. This means see how they live life and inspire others through LIVING life. Enlightenment is not attained or obtained by sitting on your arse! its in service – and service that doesn’t satisfy personal emptiness ( Like mother theresa – who’s corruption is only now coming out! – Yes MT was no saint!).

There is only one Guru – yourself

Learn to feel without reaction and you will start to really see – and your issues will slowly stop controlling your life. This is how to initiate yourself into living. Nothing else and no one else can do this for you.

Only seek inspiration from those who live in life and not out of a need for recognition or illusion- as they are actually empty and need your energy.

Vaidyanathan said,

Friends, I have only little to say to you all, and of course those who may read these in the future to come…
1.) We are all born with our own inner self and capability.
2.) We come to a point of “dependency” on something/someone when we lose our self to the forces of ego, frustration, and desperation.
3.) Retaining mental composure, calmness and inner peace is difficult during such circumstances.
4.) What we need is the capability to achieve Point No. (3) so that we can think with the right attitude and clarity, with the Guidance from Mother Nature which is still largely The Unknown.
5.) And, we just need some silent minutes and deep prayers for – Divine Mercy, Guidance and the right flow of Thought – in order to achieve the individuality and independence of our Inner Self & Capability.
6.) So, be independent and Pray, Meditate & Regain Self yourselves.
7.) This is the basic Fact. There is no point in complicating things and talking too many things and jargons. Lets be simple, aware, alert and independent in thinking, thought sequence and the way we carry ourselves.
Warm Regards to all…Vaidya

mathaji said,

Dear Bronte,
You are doing a great service to humanity. As someone who lives close to the fake woman’s ancestral home I have heard of foreigners and Indians being murdered and that many whites are there for drugs. Thank the real God that I was not spiritually abused. But when my dear mom was hospitalised in the Cochin super speciality hospital we saw their brutality first hand. The doctors removed a vital organ and send her packing home to free the bed for another fee paying patient. In spite of the love they preach nothing would prompt them to take her back though she slipped into a comma. In the West patients are kept in hospital for over months and monitored carefully after similar surgery.
I know many other people who have lost loved ones due to their negligence – one a 22 year old girl.My friend’s son works there and says the junior Amma wannabes address the doctors ‘dog’. The nursing staff have been on strike for years and have publically cried for love and mercy. Today’s news – police are going to take action against social media diatribes of the fake saint. Watch out.

I couldn’t read in full, I copied it. I will read it in full length. I have read her biography and one book by Neel Rosner. Neel explained the whole things from his first meeting. All I have read I had had some doubt that all very cleared. The Indian people are very devotees. Anyone can cheat easily them. There are two sides for Indian spiritualism. The sex also very involved in spiritual line. Somebody have some powers, that they are using to get money and sex. All religious community have sex misconducts. Most of the devotees are covering it and side to it and getting benefit. May be I will get some real answers When read this article in full length, then Holly Hell. The Gail and Nell Rosner are the base of the development of the Amma. Neel Gave Two grounds of land and two houses. That was thew first assets of Amma. Infosis started with 10000/- RS from 1979. Bill Gate also started little asset then both achieved the highest level. Amma also did a good business with spiritual. No Malayalee achieved like this. She could hide all secrets until now but all unveiled. I will touch with you in future. I am not interest to give my name. but I will give my E-mail

p.s. nair said,

I am from the state of Kerala. I am not a believer. However, I am very much aware about what is going on in her ashram. Every kind of illegal activities are flourishing there. It is known to a large number of people. But, the nasty politics of Kerala and India has all along been the reason that she is not behind bars. Sai Baba was, and Amritanandamayi,(mere Sudhamani) and many self-styled gods like her are still freely cheating the people. It is shame on the “highly educated, literate” people of Kerala that they are not able to speak out. The ruling party, leftists or rightists, all of them need money and vote. They governments think that if she is brought to books, hindu vote-bank might be affected. They have no spine to raid the ashram and arrest the don and her assistants. Recently she said that she is not asking people to come to her. At the same time her industry spent huge amounts of money in advertisements announcing her arrival and stay at Kaimanam, Trivandrum. Nonsense.
Hope one day people will realise the fraud and come out and demolish her empire which is built upon fraud and fraud alone.

Pranav Menon said,

I am a Keralite. I know quite a lot about her over the years. No doubt she is a fraud, but does a lot of social works at the expense of others just to cover up her illegal activities, just like making black money white. but she is not to be blamed in the first place but the stupid followers, and you foreigners are really fools to spend a lot of money and come here at her disposal in search of peace and truth only to be deceived and get lost. please wake up public.

Sameera Ali said,

This is a wake-up call for those people who take in human beings to be worshipped as God(s) or even to consider human beings as divine is utterly baseless if you comprehend it with a clear, unbiased and logical mind. It saddens me to learn how people genuinely believe in all of these things and fall prey so easliy in their traps. Like for instance, I have read articles on Gail ‘gayatri’ Tredwell about her times she spent with Amma and the mental and emotional trauma she was in. I also look forward to reading the book titled ‘Holy Hell’ that she wrote on her devastating experience with the ‘hugging saint’.

We do not have to undergo the pain of flying across the seas, paying so many dollars to take up programmes or for that matter even something as minute as waiting in small queues.All we have to do is, pray to the ‘ONE’ GOD, the creator of the Universe, who wasn’t born nor has given birth to any. He created us and is far beyond any human characteristics or wants (all these saints are born , death and sleep overtakes them, they commit faults, get hungry etc) if they are so dependent on basic needs of life, how can other humans rely upon them for sustainance or anything for that matter? it is absurd for them to even claim anything close to being divine!!!!

Wake up people and realize who are the deceivers and who is the only ONE who can give you TRUE INNER PEACE. All you have to do is CONTEMPLATE, SEARCH FOR ANSWERS and FOLLOW YOUR HEART.

enid said,

“This is a wake-up call for those people who take in human beings to be worshipped as God(s) or even to consider human beings as divine is utterly baseless if you comprehend it with a clear, unbiased and logical mind. ” – precisely Sameera, you hit the nail on the head!

Superstorr said,

I think the whole point is that we do not have ‘clear, unbiassed and logical minds’ The whole system, East and West has distorted the perceptions of people hence they become easy prey (and are then accused of ‘wanting the abuse’ or ‘needing the lesson’) This seems grossly unfair to me. A predator is a predator……and the predated one seems to get the blame – again – whether they are physically, mentally or psychically raped.

Waking up is an ok term, but let’s not use it judgementally, please xxx

Rama said,

I am a person from Kerala. I do not believe people have special powers. Yes some have better IQ or EQ. Why do we need to give un due importance to this Lady. I don’t even like calling her “Amma”.
1$=60INR. Foreigners please don’t come

kirsten simser said,

hello. i live in northern california and i have been brought two different times to see “amma” by two different friends who were tottally into her, at her ashram in the san fransisco bay area. ill never forget what i thought the first time i saw her. as i was travelling with people who were tottally into her, i expected to see this glistening light being. instead, at first glance i was appalled to see that amma has a very dark looking energy around her head, much like the “tweekers” (drug addicts) my friends and i warn each other not to hang around with!! very low, dark energy. and i looked around to my friends as if to say, ” are these people serious,THIS is the holy woman/ no way!! cant be! is anyone else seeing this??” of course, they didnt as they were all already hooked. THE LADY HAS VERY DARK ENERGY, WHY DOESNT ANYONE EVER MENTION THIS?? also, i am very fast reader and read her amma book on the 4hr ride down to her ashram. the one where she sucks the leprocey, so i was impressed. (now im sure thats a lie.) what i read in that book was she was so advanced that she could speak all languages. well thats NOT TRUE, either, as was proven to me because i had two very black eyes at the time from a very bad auto accident, and when i recieved her hug, she asked me in her gibberish (and i have BEEN to india and found no problem at all communicating with the people there, in fact i think most people know english there), but she kept trying and trying to understand what i ment when i was trying to explain rolling my truck, with vroom vroom and even hand -steering wheel guestures, SHE CANNOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH. thankyou.

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NARAYANAN IYER said,

Lack of knowledge in advaita vedanta core teaching has led to this despair among people who pursue / or want to learn on indian phylosophy or spiritual teachings. There exists only One Reality. Like in a dream state we create objects / people / space / time and in that dream, our creator status is concealled as even the events happening in dream we seem to act like a creature born of circumstances were we have no hold. When we come to know that it was a dream ? When we wake up. In vedanta this is known as comming out of ignorance. Similarly the projected world before you is created by you itself..Its not now known to you becos of the fact that you are not able to transcendent this world like you did from dream to waking. This transcendence is possbile provided you trust your own SELF that is inside you and like the objects / people everything contained in your mind, similarly the universe is a projection of consciounes and the same consciouness is inside you. Instead of going outward, you should tread the path inside. Nothing is there outside. Whatever there is in space time is inside you. We are lost in the world of objects. I once read a english focklore werein after the Gods created this universe, he created man. After creating man he had all the troubles. Werever the God hid the man used to find him and this disturbed Gods solitude. Mans is always selfish, he goes to anyone with a objective only and not otherwse. The God found very difficult to hide and a safe place thereoff so he approached a angel. The angel told that hide inside mans heart as he will never find you as the habit of mind is always to find out of what is there outside and not what is inside. So finally God hid inside us and he is now safe. The problem with our mind is, it thinks in terms of object only and nothing else. We have lost in the world of objects and subject that is YOU has gone missing. So, as long as you go hunting outside for peace, God or Happiness, you will get only such surprises and is bound to happen as these Godmens has found the gullibility of people and they are doing their business well and we take our frustration after we are cheated. Trust yourself not anyone else for spirituality atleast. There is immense potential in you, thats what the advaita vedanta says.

Klaus said,

Thanks for revealing what is obscured.
Amma was an experience and one I really enjoyed……her singing alone was worth it. Such passion! Yes….I kissed a strange woman’s feet but when it was all over and I no longer needed a mother….it was over and chalked up to life’s experience.
No rancor…..she is what she is and does what she does and serves a need like so many other business people. The God Business…..ya gotta love it (sarcasm)

NARAYANAN IYER said,

We all have heard and experienced that money, power, position, fame has never remained with anyone for always. World is beautifull. Very good. World has novelity. Excellent. But this very world lacks Stability. Even if having the above mentioned items, the death does not allow to own this permanently. Even God incarnate had to leave this place as space time never allows anything to stay permanently. My english is bad, but still managing. We will go psychologically how babas and ammas are born and we will see that they are born of circumstance even they too have a very limited control and the driving force of nature is so strong that even saints find difficult to control. Continuing, what prompts or urges we have to get things that we very well know that it is tansistory. Desire. A big Desire. Very few people are able to understand what desire is though it is a psychological term. Becos of its contridictory nature even the very sages who had abondoned this world for the sake of knowledge scumble to desire. Then what to talk about the matas and pitas who proclaim themself to be godmen, were one can get from their spiritual talk the depth of their understandings they have and u may feel pity for making them as Gurus. We cannot Desire that which is not in us. Again I am repeating this. Think once again. One one side, we Cannot Desire that which is not in us. The other side is, that which is not in you, cannot be outside. Now I will go with an example. If I will give u the earth, u will not get satisfied. Once having earth, you will desire for moon. Once moon thien this galaxy, then andromyda galaxy then local cluster then u will desire this universe and finally even if the entire universe is offered to you, you will ask for what is beyond. This means the same Desire has atleast the thought to make you infinite. What makes you or urges you have to possess everything of this universe. That urge comes from the very nature of YOU. YOU being infinite in nature is asking for THAT, which belongs to you. YOU the eternal consciouness that is in mirco and macro level rather the very existence of this universe itself that which is a substrantum for this very universe. This is the very essence of YOU which is infinite and is inside you. Now the moment the desire is fullfilled, you no longer show any keen interest in that object why ? Becos of the transitory nature of your physical body. You know one day I need to leave everything and go. I have possessed this and what is there in it ? Its not giving me any satisfaction. Desire propells to own on one hand on other hand it exhaust you to such an extent that you fell aversion to the thing possessed. Todays matas and gurus are still in this stage or no bettter than than common man becos of the very desire they have to achieve. Now achieve what ? they only know. Maybe fame/money etc and since they too are no gods, they can give no solace to anyone, except for few physcial jerks like bhajans / clappings / music / to show that they are meditating etc and once these beats stop, their followers are back to square one.

Ken said,

I here nothing but criticisn of The Supreme Mother and it really. My wife and I have luckily been able to see Mother Amma three times and can honestly say it was a beautiful experience. We both felt her power and love as we kissed her feet. Why don’t you all go worship your invisible gods and allow us to worship in peace!!

NARAYANAN IYER said,

So, you mean to say what is visible is true and need to be taken for granted and what is invisible needs to shunned. Ur senses reports to mind only this objective universe and that which is subtle is out of your sense purview. 1000 yrs back, when a philosopher (socraties) told that it is not the sun that is revolving around the earth rather it is the otherway around. He was asked to take back his words. Since he didnt he was put to death. Although the entire human being experienced this but the reality ws other way around. Truth does not bow down to society but society has to bow down to truth. It took 1000 yrs to confirm that he was right when we came up with telescope. If amma is catching up with old age / body ache other bodily ailments / allegations, then its not supreme but extreme, becos most of these spiritual teachers nowdays are hypocrites and they live in their universe. I still adore the invisible God compared to these Gurus or Ma s becos, I have or my mind has created a God whom I have expectation of Godly norms.that should get fullfilled. These gurus / or ma s always come across scandles as no smoke without fire.

Now I will come to your next experience. You felt a beautiull experience and also power when you were near to her. It was not ammas experience but it was of yours. Imagine 100 pots filled with water of different purity. Here intially entire pot ws muddy but some pot stated to settle all the mud at the botoom and became pure. The sun has its reflection on all the pots. Say now it is 100 suns with diffirent luminosity.we see in each pot. That pot which has the purest water has higest luminosity. The most muddy water will reflect less. The sun needs no cleansing. If the water is muddy how can we blame the sun. Simllarly that which is permanent / eternal principle also exists with you in your impernant body. I am calling this – principle becos, its existence is something which we cannot see in this objective universe but its existence is confirmed and experienced by all. Hence everything in this universe, you, me and others stars galaxies are in order otherwise we would have been killing people to get more powerf or abuse of humanity. Now this mind under calm or certain conditions is able to reflect that eternal principle partially whose nature is beautiful / very powerful / peace etc that which is inside you. This is just like the pure pot was able to reflect the sun in a much better way compared to unpure pot. peace, beauty eixists in you which came out when you felt that you are going to contact a divine soul.

hippie99 said,

Some may attribute her illness to her taking on the karma of the world! It is a common belief that the guru takes the karma of disciples and suffers for it, so the disciples owes the guru everything! This is the beginning of authoritarian exploitative cults.

I’ve been working with Amma for 16 years. ButI neverworshipped her. The whole idea of worshipping a person, while that person tells you there is a great God, doesn’tmake sense. I also didn’t buy any merchandise out of chartity or worship motives, only things I truly liked , clothes and oils, which were cheaper than at local shops. As well as I did have amazing experiences, kundalini after one meditaion with her, that was quite something, unattainable by many even after years of meditation. I was raised very scaptical, and clear- headed; and following anyone for that matter is a difficult task for me. Worshipping- Impossible! But contributing by work, giving someone support, sharing struggle, any of that social stuff- gladly. I worked at MOther’s Kitchen in NYC, thanks to Amma’s project, hundreds of homeless people were fed regularly. Nine kilos of garlic to chop didn’t make me feel like a slave; but rather great – helping someone, who can never pay you back is truly beautiful. I love what Amma stands for. SHe, herself might not be up to the image, but the influence she’s had on many people, the ability to open their hearts, become kionder to each other: I only had positive experiences in her presence, and with her devotees. There is no brainwashing, unless someone has them washed up already. There is no subliminal Big Brother agenda, since many of her anecdotes are openly against surveilance, war, aggression, false values( like financial wealth). Whether she is a virgin ( don’t care, but suspect not, she has a very naughty look when she talks about sex), rich behind the curtains, bites her devotees- it doesn’t change a thing. It’s her choice, and one of those who allow themselves be treated such way. But there is a huge number of people among her followers, who are connected by great network of support, care and share; among ourselves, and the world.

Gale said,

One piece of your writing has not been mentioned in the comment section and that is your brilliant discussion of Amma and the UN. I was a devotee for ten yrs. Over the past 5 yrs I became educated about whats really going on in the world and making a personal transformation around my own personal power and my place in the world. I’ve been to her ashram in India many times and what struck me the last time i went one year ago (2013) was the way there was so much control and how sheepishly people went along with whatever rules there were without question. Cameras on everyone, people being pushed along, herded like animals in the prasad line, another seva was created for a person to wave people on when it was their turn in line at the Western cafe…I felt insulted! I watched the whole thing in satsang play out where she gets everyone riled up and then goes into trance. Truly, it looks like she is extracting the crowds energy that they so freely hand over. I tried to talk with others at the ashram about this stuff but no one seemed to see the big picture. No one wanted to think critically but instead seemed happy to be told what to do. One woman even replied to the effect that Amma knows whats best for her devotees and we cant begin to understand such things. I left the ashram and Amma and never looked back. Shortly after I read Gail’s book and felt reassured about my decision to quit the whole Amma thing. I just don’t need it anymore…

Frog said,

It was 1998 when I was ‘led’ to Amma’s ashram in Kerala by new friends I’d made during my travels in India (as you do). I was 28 and I had never heard of Amma before. Never one to shy away from new experiences and new places, I thought “why not, what harm can it do?”. When I entered the ashram I was married, fairly wealthy, with a bright career and future ahead of me. I was also an agnostic. By the time I left, just 3 days later, all that had changed.

Meeting Amma was a life-changing experience for me. A destructive one. My ‘awakening’ essentially dissolved my personality, my values, everything I had held true up to that point. What followed was years of personal losses. Essentially one very long breakdown.

You could say that might have happened anyway, and what a vulnerable, impressionable, naive young woman I must have been to be so easily influenced by strangers. Yet I remember the younger me as headstrong, self-assured, ego-driven, super-confident, arrogant even. That’s how ‘friends’ and colleagues at the time used to describe me. Not a crowd-follower. Always the skeptic, never a sheep. And yet that first encounter with Amma did something to my personality. My sense of Self vanished. The “I” that existed B.A. (Before Amma) was gone. The problem was there was nothing solid enough to replace it.

There is no doubt that group behaviour has a powerful effect on the human psyche. Mass displays of emotion (or hysteria) are contagious. Human beings have an innate yearning to belong to a tribe – any tribe – and Amma’s ashram can tick the empty boxes for lost souls seeking meaning to their lives, whether consciously sought or not. But there is more to Amma’s powerful hold over people’s minds and lives than simple group conformity. Someone commented earlier that a soul surrender takes place. That’s a good way of describing it. You could also say it’s a form of spiritual possession. It’s important to stress that that can only happen with the PERMISSION of the individual.

16 years ago I thought I had been enlightened; touched in a special way by divine, cosmic forces; specifically chosen… That dangerous line of thinking led me to divorce my rationalist, scientific husband (whom I thought “would not understand the new me”), give up what I saw as vain and futile materialism and follow what I believed to be a “spiritual” path, “following my heart”. My family and friends noticed the changes – it was impossible not to. Some were too alarmed or confused to deal with it and withdrew their friendship. Others, the more concerned ones, warned me: “do you really know what you’re doing?” Yes, yes, I reassured them (and myself). I know things you don’t know. I’ve seen something you’ve not seen, something other-worldly. I’ve seen THE INFINITE in Amma’s eyes. Gabble, gabble.

Yet true good can only lead to good. And what followed in my life was not good. Today, 16 years later, I am not married any more and probably never will be again. I am childless and too old now to change that. I have no family or real friends left. I have no home of my own any more, no job, no income, no future. All I have to look forward to is old age, poverty, loneliness and then death. And then what?

There has to be more to this life than what happens here on earth, otherwise it is all pointless. I don’t believe in the endless wheel of reincarnation – that’s a get-out clause for moral irresponsibility (“doesn’t matter if you screw up this time, you’ll get another chance”). No we won’t. We have one lifetime on earth and one only. The decisions of our youth shape our later life. So, kids, take heed before it’s too late.

When I think back to that innocent boat journey I took that day through the tropical backwaters of Kerala, I liken it to the fateful journey of Captain Willard’s character in the classic Vietnam film, Apocalypse Now. Like Willard (played by Martin Sheen) I did not know that the river was taking me directly into the Heart of Darkness. I’m not comparing Amma to the mad, evil Colonel Kurtz. Nor am I blaming Amma for my own poorly conceived life decisions and mistakes. But I am talking about the journey into one’s own heart, the encounter with the deepest darkest recesses of Self. That’s what Amma unlocks in people’s hearts.

The moral of my story is: if you go knocking on an unknown door out of idle curiosity, be careful of what lies on the other side.

Gurus, like religions in general, fulfill a need in people. Most of us need to follow something…..religion, God, our mates, our bosses, money, power and so on. For many millennia we lived as part of a tribe with it’s own hierarchies. We still have the tribal urge….the need to belong and be part of something. Hierarchies, religions, businesses are built on the pyramid principle. At the top, the Leader, his or her generals, captains, etc. Then the “sheep” that make up the bulk of the adherents. Some are content to follow their own direction, think their own thoughts and make their own decisions. Sometimes we explore various paths or religions until we realize our own truths. Others find a path that makes them secure, content and fulfilled and follow it until we pass from this world. I experienced ecstatic moments where I felt at one with the universe in a way that cannot be described at my first visit with Amma. I was outside by myself laughing and then crying and feeling total union and kinship with an ant that I observed on the ground. I attributed this experience to Amma’s influence at the time and it kept me coming back for 8 more years. Then, in my last visit, I felt totally disconnected and knew my time with her was over. That was ten years ago. Now I am part of no group and simply live. I chop wood and carry water and feel grateful to be alive enjoying the beauty this world has to offer, suffering the slings and arrows of misfortune and loving my family and friends. I know we are all a part of one big human tribe and hesitate to criticize others for their beliefs or practices. The Golden Rule is enough. Do unto others as I wish to be treated. With love and compassion. Isn’t this enough? What happens after death is a mystery although I suspect there may be more. It will be a big surprise or not. Life is here and now. Let’s live!

Henry said,

Superstorr said,

Hello Klaus, I am really happy for you that you no longer need to follow a guru.

However, I totally disagree with this idea that these predatory gurus ‘fulfil a need’ that is somehow seen as a person’s own need. I feel that the ‘need’ is actually the predator’s need and that we are all brainwashed to provide ourselves, in a plethora of ways, as food for their need. This is then interpreted as people having the need to be abused and fed off (another part of the brainwash, to make it continue to be ok.) This kind of interpretation makes, at worst, the predator innocent and the predated ones guilty and, at best, both involved in some kind of mutually benevolent exchange. It behooves us to see the bigger picture, which is that humans are fodder and are trained to offer themselves ‘on a plate.’ Those who have had certain energetically priviledged backgrounds may be less predisposed to offer themselves and then they assume that they are ‘strong’ and that others are weak characters who ‘need’ to be abused for their own growth. That smacks of superiority and lack of understanding and compassion for the present human condition.

The pyramid system you speak of is one of the tools of the brainwash. The ones at the top are not ‘leaders’ they are predators and even at lower levels if they start off as naive and innocent leaders they are hijacked/strongarmed into dominating and directing their underlings in ways that may not sit well, for fear of losing their position, salary, prestige, etc.

It is just too simplistic to suggest that people ‘need’ to be abused. xxx

James said,

It is the same in Australia, the people who run her organisation are brainwashed idiots who believe they have the right to judge everyone that doesn’t conform to their way of life (including their childish backstabbing). It wasn’t a problem with Amma that I saw, it was the crazies who surrounded her! However, the more I read, the more I realise it was all rubbish. I turned by back on it, never felt better.

Jessica said,

I looked up “the truth about amma” into Google because my dad recently went to Melbourne to be hugged by amma and was telling me about it when he returned. It sounds like such phony bullshit made up by some religious thing to make money!! And I guess it is. It’s so disappointing to see my dad and his partner believe in this lady so wholeheartedly. He paid hundreds of dollars for a (fake) diamond necklace (which he also knew was fake) for me because it had been worn by amma, and he brought back some “holy water” blessed by amma for my 5 month old baby to drink. I am disgusted by this lady and what she is doing, I was hoping to find an article like this found somewhere on the Internet because it confirms all my suspicions!! Thank you and I hope amma gets found out for what she is soon!

DB said,

To see the level of brainwashing and the inability of people to actually figure out how much they read and hear is faked, let’s just take the *fact* of her hugging over 26 million people. Ehhhh??? One person a second, every second of every day and night is over 300 days straight. No eating, no sleeping, no time for blessing anything or anything else. Please. People. Do the simple math. It’s not rocket science. If one fact is faked, how much can you actually believe?

NARAYANAN IYER said,

To discuss about indian swamijis and swaminis are now disgusting. Most of them (who are in public domain) has become greedy and fake and none to be trusted upon.

The time we are going thru is kali yuga, werein it is already written in Indian Scriptures that the saints will built thier own lavish bunglow called Ashram, were they will try to create enough wealth and their motto is not to impart spiritual knowledge but create wealth for themselves, as they themselves are doomed so, what they can give to others.

These hypocrites leave their own blood relatives / families and friends / and society, to remain in solitude, and to dedicate only to God, change their views once they see the glamourous world, forget their objectives, and inorder to exploit the world outside, create whole lot families outside, and to have all the funs and lavish life with no institution or regulators to ask about their income try to be goody goody infront of the world which ends up in drama
.
They come up with all lot of domestic products which are marketed by their own ashram employees with no salary to be given and only 2 times meals to these lazy gurubhai and gurubehan. These foods are not that good too

Am not saying all so called guru does this but only few good remaining which can be counted in finger tips.

These so called swamijis and swaminis and people speaking about them are wasting their time too, like am doing now.